System and method for a user interface to manage the recording, downloading and sharing of content from multiple sources

A non-transitory computer readable medium encoded with a computer program, including instructions to cause a processor to:

• control distribution of content to and amongst devices of multiple users, including to,
• selectively authorize users to access content based on requests of the respective users, subscription-based access restrictions associated with the respective content, and subscription information associated with the respective users, and
• selectively authorize users to access content of devices of other users based on requests of the respective other users, subscription-based access restrictions associated with the respective content, and subscription information associated with the users to be authorized;
• identify one or more sources of authorized content for which a user is authorized to access from amongst devices of other users and one or more of a server and a distribution schedule of a content provider;
• and
• configure a user interface to permit the user to elect to receive the authorized content from each identified source of the authorized content:
• wherein the content includes copies of content distributed by a content provider;
• wherein distribution of content from the server to the devices of the user and distribution of content amongst the devices of the users is controlled by a content redistribution service provider;
• wherein one or more of the users has a subscription with the content provider;
• wherein one or more of the users has a subscription with the content redistribution service provider;
• and
• wherein the instructions include instructions to cause the processor to authorize the user to access content if the user has a subscription with at least one of the content provider and the content redistribution service provider and the content is included within the subscription.

An apparatus, comprising a processor and memory configured to:

• control distribution of content to and amongst devices of multiple users, including to,
• selectively authorize users to access content based on requests of the respective users, subscription-based access restrictions associated with the respective content, and subscription information associated with the respective users, and
• selectively authorize users to access content of devices of other users based on requests of the respective other users, subscription-based access restrictions associated with the respective content, and subscription information associated with the users to be authorized;
• identify one or more sources of authorized content for which a user is authorized to access from amongst devices of other users and one or more of a server and a distribution schedule of a content provider;
• and
• configure a user interface to permit the user to elect to receive the authorized content from each identified source of the authorized content:
• wherein the content includes copies of content distributed by a content provider;
• wherein distribution of content from the server to the devices of the user and distribution of content amongst the devices of the users is controlled by a content redistribution service provider;
• wherein one or more of the users has a subscription with the content provider;
• wherein One or more of the users has a subscription with the content redistribution service provider;
• and
• wherein the processor and memory are further configured to authorize the user to access content if the user has a subscription with at least one of the content provider and the content redistribution service provider and the content is included within the subscription.